


When You're Singing That Song

by jerk3max



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Deaf Character, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-06-30
Packaged: 2018-07-19 07:00:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7350661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jerk3max/pseuds/jerk3max
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'What're you doing here, stranger? ;-)'</p>
            </blockquote>





	When You're Singing That Song

**Author's Note:**

> I realised most of my randl fics are porn with little plot so I wrote this!! this is half based on when someone asked if link had problems hearing bc of how he enunciates words. 
> 
> sorry if there's mistakes I wrote all of this on mobile!

Rhett had never believed in love at first sight.

He’d been through his life floating by idly, moving from job to job and house to house until he finds himself in a cramped apartment in California. He wanted adventure, he wanted fun, he wanted to live.

On his 36th birthday, his friends drag him through various bars, chanting his name and chugging down beers. 

They get to their fourth stop of the night, a loud, bass filled, neon nightclub with a large bouncer at the door. Rhett eyes him up as they walk in, before his friends lead them to the bar and buy him another large frothy beer.

His friends talk loudly over the music, but Rhett's eyes are drawn to a man sitting a few seats down from them.

His hair was jet black, shining in the flashing neon glow. He had sweet little tortoise shell glasses perched on the edge of his nose as he looked down at his phone.

Rhett’s friends take notice and jab his sides, and Rhett laughs and pushes them back. Rhett accidentally catches the man’s eye and waves shyly, and the man laughs a little and waves back. Rhett's friends make a final nudge and Rhett gulps his beer and shifts down to the man.

“Hey, I'm Rhett,” Rhett says, trying to speak over the music.

The man laughs and taps his ears, and Rhett blushes bright red. He'd just tried to talk to a deaf man.

Rhett tugs his phone out of his pocket and types out his name, and passes his phone to the man. Rhett watches him type out a little reply.

' _Hi, I'm Link!!_ '

Rhett smiles and says the word out loud, and Link smiles and indicates for Rhett to put the phone back in his hand. 

He sticks his tongue out as he types and Rhett thinks it's adorable.

‘ _What're you doing here, stranger? ;-)_ ’

Rhett blushes a little and quickly types out a reply, ‘ _It's my birthday. What about you? It's a weird place for a deaf guy to hang out._ ’

Link smiles reading the response, and mouths happy birthday. He passes Rhett his phone and Rhett raises his eyebrows in confusion at Link's message, ‘ _The bass is nice._ '

Link holds Rhett's hand and makes a small _follow me_ gesture, and Rhett’s friends cheer as Link leads them to the dance floor. 

He mimes for Rhett to cover his ears and Rhett grins down at him as he feels the beat of the song pounding in his chest. Link smiles and holds his hands out for Rhett to take, and Link starts to dance. 

Rhett sings along to the music and Link laughs at him. Link interlocks their fingers and Rhett feels his blush spread to his ears.

The song draws to a close and Link takes his phone out and uses it to ask Rhett to come back to his place.

Rhett glances over at this friends and they laugh and give him a thumbs up as Link leads them from the club. 

Link holds Rhett's fingers tight as he guides Rhett back to his small apartment, unlocking the door with shaky fingers before pushing Rhett inside.

Link's tiny dog barks up at them and Link scoops her up and shows her to Rhett. She wriggles to lick his face and Rhett laughs and takes the squirmy little dog from Link's hands.

“What's her name?” Rhett asks, blushing and reaching for his phone before Link shakes his head and tries to mouth ‘ _Jade_ ’. Jade barks to be let down and she jumps back onto Link's couch, before Link indicates for them to sit down too. “Can you lipread?”

Link wobbles his hand, _so-so_.

Rhett smiles and pets Jade's head, and Link points at his DVD shelf. Rhett nods and watches and Link puts a movie in, and Link mimics a movement similar to cuddling.

Blushing up to his ears for the umpteenth time that night, Rhett nods and lets Link cuddle under one of his arms. He breathes in Link's cologne and decides its his new favourite smell.

Rhett visits more often after that night, signing up for a sign language class in secret to surprise Link. Link starts leaving the radio on for when Rhett gets home, and Rhett watches the tv with subtitles incase Link wants to settle down and watch too. 

Rhett finds out Link owns a hair salon down town, and he walks down there during his lunch breaks at the office. Link greets him with a kiss on the cheek.

Most days, Rhett brings him homemade lunch, peanut butter and jelly, and Rhett drives them both back to Link's apartment. 

Link does his best to cook for them, and Rhett insists in installing a fire alarm that flashes so Link can see it.

They eat sitting across from each other, Rhett clumsily signing to ask Link about his day, and Link signs and mouths so Rhett can read his response. 

Link talked a lot. He liked to talk, signing to Rhett for hours about work and mountain biking and funny mishaps he's had over the years, and Rhett smiles and kisses Link's cheeks to make his hands stutter. 

A year, eight months, and three days after they had met, Rhett moves in, dumping his boxes by the door before making love to Link on the couch. It's tangled, and sweaty, but the best sex Rhett has had in years, and he makes a point of licking up Link's jaw and signing to say so. Link laughs and kisses Rhett's nose.

At night, Link rests his hands against chest as he breathes, feeling the soft rise and fall and the ever present beat of his heart. Rhett smiles down at him and lets Link take his time, knowing that Link enjoys feeling his heart to finally, _finally_ hear him. 

Link encourages Rhett to play his guitar in the house, saying he needs a good creative outlet besides yelling at football games and having sex. Rhett notices Link's saddened expression as he plays, and Link rests his hand on the body of the guitar to try and feel the vibrations. Rhett holds his hands once he's finished playing, and Link moves them back to sign that be bets Rhett sounded amazing. Rhett kisses his cheek and tries to lighten the mood by saying Link can sleep because he can't hear Rhett snore.

Link seems down for the rest of the day, and come dinner time Rhett is worried for him. Eventually, Rhett asks Link the question he felt too rude to ask before, “Why don't you have hearing aids?”

Link stares down at his plate and pushes his food around lamely. Rhett taps him to get his attention and Link shrugs a little.

“If it's money, I can help you,” Rhett signs, making sure Link can see him, “And I'll help you find the best doctor, too, whatever you want.”

Link puts his fork down and sighs a little, “What if I don't want hearing aids, Rhett?” Link staring back at his plate as Rhett frowns. “I don't need to hear to know I love you.”

Rhett smiles and kisses Link's hand. “You just looked so sad, I don't like seeing you upset.”

Link smiles a little, “I get emotional easy, don't worry. I can hear you just as much as I need to, and I love it like this.” Link signs, squeezing Rhett's hand briefly, “And besides, you said you snore, I don't need to listen to that.”

Rhett laughs and nods, Link smiling as he carries their plates out to be washed. 

The weeks go by and Link's routine is like clockwork, and Rhett easily falls into it, waking up at exactly eight right as Link's alarm vibrates against his nightstand. Rhett prepares breakfast as Link showers, and they eat together, Rhett signing about the topics on the radio. Rhett washes the dishes as Link kisses him goodbye, leaving the house before the clock can strike nine. 

Rhett gets home from work and Link isn't home. Jade barks at him from the couch and Rhett searches the house, confused when he finds it empty. He turns on the radio and starts dinner, staring at the door at the smallest noise. 

Link gets home an hour late, and Rhett rushes over to check him over. Link signs to say he's okay, before walking to the table and sitting down. Rhett passes him his plate full of slowly cooling food, and Link shovels it into his mouth. He's mid chew as he notices Rhett sitting across him with his arms crossed.

“What?” Link signs, swallowing and setting his fork down.

“Where have you been? You got home an hour after me,” Rhett signs, and Link smiles a little.

“Rhett, it's nothing, I'm keeping the salon open longer now,” Link signs, and Rhett relaxes a little. “I didn't think it would be a big deal.” 

Rhett smiles and holds his hand quickly, “I worry, you know I do.”

Link smiles and finishes his meal, washing the dishes as Rhett feeds Jade and flops down on the sofa.

Link gets in later and later each day, and Rhett starts waiting for him to get home before he starts cooking. Link offers him an apologetic smile and always makes it up to Rhett by cleaning the house.

Rhett feels guilty for wondering about the truth to Link's claims. Link had always been honest, sometimes even painfully so, telling him his old chinstrap looked ‘completely stupid’ and how his cooking could never beat his momma’s. 

A week before Christmas, Link gets home early. Rhett smiles warmly as Link wanders in, tugging off his coat and rubbing his arms to warm up. Rhett wraps him in a hug and kisses his head, signing to ask what he's doing home so early. 

Link grins and signs with shaking hands, “I forgot I got us dinner reservations, we gotta get ready.”

“Dinner reservations?” Rhett says in confusion, and Link nods and tugs him along to the bedroom. Link lays out a nice suit for Rhett and himself, and Rhett just watches him. “Why didn't you tell me?”

“Forgot,” Link signs, quickly, tugging his logo embroidered work polo off and pulling on a dress shirt. “Get dressed then, or we'll lose our table.”

Nodding, Rhett gets dressed, Link laughing and tying his bow tie after his fifth failure. Rhett frowns in confusion as he watches Link scribble a note on a tiny square of paper and stuff it in his pocket.

They're out to the car no more than twenty minutes after Link had arrived home, Link driving and keeping the radio on for Rhett.

The restaurant is a fancy, family run business a ten minute drive from Link's apartment. Rhett loves the pretty red carnation bushes set out front in intricate woven baskets, and Link loves the sweet tealights placed neatly on each table.

They get guided to their table by the maître d’, and Link comments that the table cloth isn't straight. Rhett laughs and shoves his shoulder. 

Link signs to say he knows what he wants to eat before they even sit down, and Rhett thanks the waiter as she gives them their menus. Link points at what he wants and Rhett nods and signs to say it sounds nice. Link taps the menu on what he guesses Rhett would like, woodsmoked steak and garlic butter, and Rhett nods and points to the mixed salad side option too. 

The waitress take their orders and Rhett gets them both lattes too, Link nodding in approval as he sees the overly frothy coffee. Link feeds Rhett a forkfulls of his grilled lemon chicken, and Rhett returns the favour. Link makes a happy noise as he chews and Rhett holds his hand over the table. 

When it gets to dessert, Link insists on sharing a cheesecake. Rhett goes to question him, but decides against it based on Link's bizarre attitude. Rhett furrows his brow as Link hands the waitress the small slip of paper from his pocket after Rhett orders for them.

He gets Link's attention and signs slowly, “What's going on?”

Link shrugs his shoulders, “Nothing, Rhett.”

“You handed her some paper,” Rhett signs, and Link waves his hand casually.

“Just something about our order, don't worry, bo,” Link smiles, bouncing his leg anxiously under the table. 

Rhett frowns and repeats his earlier question and Link just smiles, and signs to insist it's nothing. 

He perks up as the waitress brings their cake to the table, a big smile on her face as she sets it down. Link slowly turns the plate around and Rhett can finally see the writing written in liquid chocolate, ‘ _Will you marry me?_ ’.

Rhett gasps and covers his mouth with his hands, looking up at Link and seeing he's no longer in his seat. He looks down at the floor beside him and finds him down on one knee holding out a simple gold ring in a velvet box. 

Rhett goes to sign to him but Link shakes his head and clears his throat. 

“Rhett McLaughlin,” Link starts,voice quiet and croaky, and Rhett tears up as he continues, “I love you, will you marry me?” 

Rhett cries and nods quickly, signing yes with shaking hands. Link smiles so wide and slips the ring onto his finger, Rhett grasping his hand and tugging him into a hug. 

“Do you wanna eat this cake now?” Link signs with teary eyes, and Rhett nods slowly.

“Let me get a picture of it first,” Rhett signs back, and Link kisses his cheek before taking his seat at the table opposite Rhett. “Was keeping the salon open a cover for you going to learn to say that?”

Link nods happily, “I'm just lucky you didn't come down to see me.”

After his picture, Link takes a forkfull of cake and holds it up to Rhett's mouth. Rhett laughs and takes it, and Link holds his hand over the table. 

“I love you,” Rhett signs, and Link squeezes his fingers and mouths it back.


End file.
